Tuning Pt_3Ti sites on Ti_2CT_x MXene by an interfacial engineering for boosted electrochemical hydrogen evolution

摘要

Sustainable hydrogen energy is considered a key to develop future clean energy. Platinum (Pt) is the most promising catalyst for electrochemical hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) so far, but the high cost and agglomeration of Pt nanostructures brought it limitations. Herein, we report an electrocatalyst with surfaceengineered Pt nanoclusters with relatively low content (0.96 wt%) supported on a two-dimensional (2D) MXene substrate (Ti2CTx, Tx represents surface functional groups) and Pt3Ti alloy interfaces formed after annealing at 900 degrees C. Pt/Ti2CTx-900 exhibits superior HER activity (achieving 10 mA cm-2 at an overpotential of 1.7 mV) and excellent stability under continuous tests. Therefore, this easy-to-operate strategy develops a superior low-cost electrocatalyst for HER, paving the way for future development of other highly active and robust functional composite materials.